1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing amide compounds by reacting nitrile compounds with water in a liquid phase.
2. Description of the Related Art
Amide compounds are very useful as intermediates for organic syntheses which can be starting materials for agricultural chemicals, pharmaceuticals, synthetic resins and the like. In particular, methyl methacrylate can be produced by a vapor phase reaction of .alpha.-hydroxyisobutyramide (hereinafter referred to as "HAM") in the presence of methyl alcohol and a solid acid catalyst (Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 10,940/1988 and 63,537/1988).
It is known that amide compounds can be produced by the reaction of the corresponding nitrile compounds with water and further, various catalysts useful for this reaction are also known. U.S. Pat. No. 3,366,639 discloses a manganese oxide which is one of such catalysts. Copper-containing catalysts often used for the hydration reaction of nitrile compounds can give only an insufficient effect in hydration of .alpha.-hydroxynitrile compounds such as acetone cyanohydrin (hereinafter referred to as "ACH") and the like. On the contrary, manganese oxides give fairly good results in hydration of .alpha.-hydroxynitrile compounds as shown in West German Patent No. 2,131,813. However, as is clear from the description in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 222/1977, a particular skill is necessary for preparing the manganese oxides active in hydration of nitrile compounds disclosed in West German Patent No. 2,131,813, and moreover, there is a problem that the characteristics of the catalyst produced are different from batch to batch.